Very interesting thread, RW.

I live in Utah where we are waiting for a once-every-200-years gynormous earthquake. :eek:

Our church encouraged us to attend the county-sponsored training to be part of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). My DH and I have both completed this course and have our handy-dandy green backpacks and yellow hardhats ready to respond to an emergency, be it an earthquake or a bus rollover.

We were taught triage, which is a "process of prioritizing patients based on the severity of their condition so as to treat as many as possible when resources are insufficient for all to be treated immediately." They actually had us go from room to room in the church assessing mock emergency situations. My job was to take notes while others actually helped the "wounded" to the triage area.

It really helped that the wounded volunteers kept in character -- it made the experience more real and intense. They were each given a scenario to portray, along with bloody-looking props to help us ascertain where their injuries were. Afterward we were graded on how well we sent them where they needed to be. And complimented if we were especially compassionate.

One week there was a firefighter who shared his experiences with us. (Yes, the lint in your dryer really can collect and cause a fire!) We were trained how to use a fire extinguisher and each of us put out a real (alcohol) fire. I don't know about you, but I had never used a fire extinguisher and it really helped to know how to handle one.

I feel like enough time has passed that I need to be re-trained. It didn't make me an expert, but it helped us prepare to respond and react in teams to an emergency until the professionals arrived.

And yes, (as has been mentioned) having food and water storage is very important for everyone. Even just 3 days' worth can get a family by until FEMA (or some other agency) is able to get their relief operation organized.

Having a backpack full of food and supplies hanging near my back door helps me feel prepared in the event of an emergency. It might not be an earthquake or terrorist attack. It could be a truck overturned on the freeway that's leaking hazardous chemicals. Just grab the backpack, get in the car and evacuate.

There's a good website that can help you prepare for any disaster. www.ready.gov. Just click on "Ready America" and it gives you a list of what to put in a disaster kit, make a family emergency plan and care for family pets (please don't forget them!). It's a good website.

I have to add my 2 cents worth since I live in one of those high risk areas. We are more than basically prepared for hurricane season. I don't need to list all of my supplies but I will say we have 2 generators. If there is no gas to be found they are useless. My husand works for the major power company here, he is not allowed to leave the area if there is a storm approaching. The company does not provide shelter for employees or their famlies. I used to work for them also and was considered essential personnel and would not have been permitted to leave either. It's easy for people who don't live in disaster prone areas to say 'just pick up and move away'. In reality, it isn't that simple. Where would all of the people who live in these places go? I guess everyone in Southern California, Florida, and other Gulf and coast states should just pick up, leave their jobs, homes and go on their merry way to who knows where. Not so simple when you look at it that way. We all help each other, as neighbors should do. There is only so much you can do when the grocery stores have been wiped out and there isn't anything left. You sit and wait for food to be delivered to the stores which after hurricane Wilma took many days. You sit and pray and wait that the power will come back on so that you and the grocery stores will be able to store perishable, healthy foods to feed your children. Many thousands of people here didn't have electricity for weeks on end. The roads are impassable because of downed powerlines, fallen trees, flooding, etc. You can't get into most shelters here unless you are from evacuated area. I don't expect the federal government to rescue everyone but there has to be a more cohesive way for things to be handled by the existing agencies. Unless you've lived through something like this it is unimaginable. Okay, now I'm getting down off of my soapbox. :)

To me, this was the whole point of this thread.

My sis and BIL live in the zone and have solar panels and the most reliable tech for hurricane season. Yes, it did cost them more, but after living through a hurricane and suffering quite a lot of losses, they chose to stay down there and built accordingly.

Have any of the existing agencies ever invited the public they serve to offer plans or suggestions? Has any one of the existing agencies ever published a local census of those who cannot help themselves? Are there community teams that regularly assess disaster potential and develop survival plans? Is every local citizen a member of a community disaster team of some sort?

If the citizens of those prone communities can't answer those questions themselves, then, yes, I do think they should relocate. Not everyone was born there, they got there somehow.

There is definitely no simple answer to the whole puzzle, but our society has never, ever had better or more capability of communication in the nation's whole history. It could be used to break new ground on these issues and it takes the people to do that.:)

Fortunately for me, I can answer those questions but not all of the answers are yes. I guess I won't have to move :D. Thankfully, in Broward County you can register as a person who needs assistance in case of disaster (which I've done). Most people who live here, in my experience, have come from somewhere else. I don't think many want to go back to Cuba, Venezuela, Haiti 'insert shudder here', etc. Quite a bit of the employment available in South Florida is service based. That means there are many people who live from pay check to pay check, if even that. As a member of the middle class here, I am not fortunate enough to be able to build a new home. We do live in the safest possible rental home that we could find. We moved here for a myriad of reasons, one of which was to expose our kids to a place with a diverse culture. The main reason was for my husband's employment. I really wish more people here would be able to answer your questions. On a sad but true note, I know too many people who couldn't spell community, let alone be involved in community groups. Hey, maybe after I'm done with all of my election stuff, I can try to help others answer those questions :)! First I have to brush up on my foreign language skills though. Actually, that's probably a good place to start! I could help people learn to speak English. we have a real shortage of volunteers for that. Most people just complain that others can't speak our language without bothering to try to help. I really believe that would be a great way to start in my location. Sorry to go so far OT but in my crazy brain it seems logical :).

That's what I'm talkin' about! Kudos for making an effort. RW will hopefully correct me if I'm wrong, but this seems like it's right on topic and going in the right direction!

Few things infuriate me more than the complaints from apathetic people. For an example, a non-voter has no right to talk about politics, IMO; the greatness of our country is that we CAN participate in effecting change.

I have some serious peeves with how certain congressional affairs are handled and I'm on a national panel to effect the changes that we, collectively, feel are to put some wrong things right. If we don't each put in some kind of effort to make changes for the better, who's gonna do it?

Alien literacy is a big passion of mine and I applaud you, J, for taking proactive steps toward improving the situation.

I know after Andrew in Florida, they had offered folks willing to relocate a financial incentive, I dont recall if it was through fema or the state. but they were trying to get some folks out of the immediate danger zones, Joelle I know its not an easy thing, to relocate, I just know I probably would do so or like AMN said rebuild accordingly, got to admit other than last year the hurricane season has been a bit tough on folks the last 7 yrs or so, and do not look like they are going to ease up any

If you want to get involved, there are over 27 agencies who are always looking for volunteers. And there are many ways you can volunteer. You don't have to be physically able to help. You can volunteer in other ways, answering phones, making box lunches, driving, etc.

FEMA is always looking for assistance. Check their website.


If you aren't part of the solution, you are part of the problem. I know she didn't say that, but that's my opinion. I've stood by and watched as our state has gone through a federal disaster this past year and how organized the team effort was in helping. We are still under a federal disaster declaration in Northern Idaho due to the massive flooding sustained earlier this year and it will only get worse due to the torrential rainfall we have been receiving these past few days. This is aftermath of the fires from last year.

There is no easy solution, but there are disaster plans for those who need them. Each time there is a disaster preparedness drill in your area, take notice. Find out how you can participate. Talk to your local agencies - the Red Cross, Salvation Army, call your local office of Homeland Security and find out what YOUR local disaster/emergency plan is. It maybe published on a website under Homeland Security for your state. I know ours is.

Use the internet and type in 211 and your state. Our state website is full of useful information.

Or call 2-1-1 and go through the menu.

You can even volunteer to help 2-1-1 to help others find resources. It's just a matter of answering the phone.

Thanks to everyone who does help. It is appreciated by everyone.

Not every state has a 2-1-1 referral system set up. Those states that don't should be taking steps to get one set up. I know that in my state, I've participated on a panel to attempt to get one set up.

If your state is one of the ones that doesn't have a 2-1-1 system (like my state) you cannot call 2-1-1.

But be aware, if your state doesn't have a 2-1-1 system but you live on the border of a state that DOES have the 2-1-1 system, you may be able to get some information from that state's 2-1-1 system that pertains to your particular area of the state (that doesn't have the system).

The 2-1-1 system was used after Katrina. When I went to my state's presentation on it, the people presenting discussed 2-1-1 and New Orleans.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/20/na...l/20phone.html

http://211us.org/status.htm

Here's a link to the current 211 status. Almost every state has at least 20% 211 coverage according to this map.